chartiee



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 M. E. OHARTIER. MACHINE FOR MAKING PILLS. N0. 362 5'7.

Jljlllh" A v I. u 1 j Sheet 2 (No Model.)

' 4 She 2ets M. E. OHARTIER. MACHINE FOR MA KING PILLS.

Patented May 3 (No Model!) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

M. E. OHARTIER. MACHINE FOR MAKINGPILLS.

Patented May 3, 1887 4 Sheets-Sheet 4. M. E. OHARTIER. MACHINE FOR MAKING PI'LLS.

(No Model.)

Patented Ma UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

MELl'llE ll. UlL-XRTTER, CHICAGO, llil'ilXfllS, ASfil iNOll TO JOIIX 1f. HARPER, OF SAME PLACE.

MAQHINE FOR MAKING PILLS.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 362,357, dated May 3, 18.87. Application filed September 16, 1886. Serial Xo. 213,602 (No model.)

To aZZ whom itmay concern: larged detail views showing the formation and Be it known that I, MELITE E. CHARTIE'R, inclination of the walls of the mold of the lower a citizen of the United States, residing at Ohiforming-plate at the beginning of said mold; eago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, Fig. 11, a detail side elevation of the forming- 55 5 have invented certain new and useful 1mplates.

provements in Machines for Making lills and Similar letters of reference indicate the same Granules, of which the following is a specifiparts in the several figures of the drawings. cation; Referring by letter to the accompanying This invention relates to improvements in drawings, A A indicate the castings or side 60 1o pill-making machines, in which the pills are frames for supporting the operating mechformed by being cut in suitable sizes from a anisms of my machine, and rigidly connected mass in a plastic condition and of irregular together by means of the tie-rods A. Toward shapes, and afterward formed into pills of a the forward ends of these castings, and pruniform and predeterminedsize by being rolled jecting upwardly therefrom, are the extensions 65 between two plates, either one or both of which 13 B, constituting bearings for the adjustable travel. journal-boxes B of a erossshaft, C, extending The prime object of this invention is to pro-' l transversely across the machine, and having vide a pill-machine in which the mass in a mounted thereon, about the center of length suitable form shall be automatically fed to the thereof, the upper one, C, of a pair of rotary 7o pill-forming plates, cut off in lengths sufficient feed-wheels, the lower one, C of which is carto fill the forming plates or molds, rolled into ried on a eorrespomling shaft, (1. loosel jourthe'form of pills, and discharged from between naled in the side frames, A, at a suitable disthe forming'plat-es during the continuous op tancc immediately below the shaft 0. These eration-of the machine. shafts O and C are suitably geared together, 5

Another object is to provide such a machine o as to work in unison, by means of the cogwith circular forming plates or molds, which I wheelsG and G, the actnatirig-powerbeing shall automatically divide the mass fed thereto preferably applied to the shaft 0" through the into the desired number of sections and roll medium ol'a train of gearing driven by a masthe same into the form of pills. teravhecl mounted upon the shaft of the crank- 80 0 Other objects are to provide means for in wheel I), to which the power is directly aptroducing the mass between the forming-plates plied, which latter, however, may be substiat regular-intervals during the continuous 0ptutcd by a belt-wheel or any other suitable oration thereof; to provide cutters automatiegearing, and the machine be moved by power ally operated to separate the'massjnto lengths instead of by hand. 8 5 just sufficient to fill the molds of the forming- The train of gearing connecting the master- V plate, and to provide certain other details of wheel must of course be so timed and speeded construction, hereinafter more fully described, as to cause the feedwheels to operate in uniand illustrated in the accompanying drawson with the other operating parts of the mat ings, in which--- chine, and as their feed must be intermittent 0 40 Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the I have provided the mutilated gears D D in device embodying my invention; Fig. 2, atop the said train, so timed as to rest thefeedplan view thereof; Fig.3, a central vertical rolls at the reqniredintervals, the said wheels section on line as m, Fig. 2; Fig. at, a transverse only feeding at a time sufficient of the mass vertical section on line 1 y, Fig. 2, looking tofrom which the pills are made to fill the molds 5 ward the rear end of the machine; Fig. 5, a 0f the forming-plates,which must make acomdetail transverse section on line 2 z, Fig. 2; plete revolution before they can receive and Fig. 6, a detail' 'lan view of the bottom formoperate upon the next portion of the mass fed ing-plate; Fig-7, a detail section thereof on thereto. This mass is formed either by'hand, line as m, Fig. 6; Fig. 8, a similar view on line or by a separate and special piece of machinery mo :v :0 of same figure; Fig. 9, another similar made for that purpose, into sticksof a suitable view on line as :v" of same figure; Fig. 10, enlength--say from twelve to eighteen inches,

ducting the stick generally-w-hich are fed to the machine down an inclined way, E, rigidly secured to theii'ont part of the machine, and onto a table, E, arranged on either side of the feed-rolls, and having a groove, E, formed therein for conacourately to the feed-rollers. These rollers have formed in the peripheries thereof grooves semicircular wheel,will, after passing the feed-wheels, have the form ofa cylinder, in which form it is fed to the pill-forming plates or molds.

The feed-rolls are each provided with clean ers F F, consisting of felting, brushes, or other suitable devices, which are designed to k plates consist of two circular disks, located one above the other, the upper one, G, being rotatable, and the lower one, G, fixed a d secured to a stationary portion ofthe main frame, just to the rear and in a plane slig tly above the table E, back of the feed-wheels.

The upper plate, G, is actuated by means of a short vertical shaft, G, passing loosely and axially through the lower plate, G, and having a squared portiomG, projecting above the topof the plate G, upon which is fitted a washer, G, having a corresponding squared perforation for the reception of the shaft, and depending pins or studs G engaging recesses or sockets H, formed in the the plate G, through the medium of which the rotary movement of the shaft G is imparted floltie said upper plate, the said shaft being evel-gear H keyed to the lower end thereof, (1 a corresponding bevel-gear, H mounted on a cross-shaft, H, journaled in the side frames, and in turn actuated by a suitable train of gear, connecting it with the master cog-wheel, so as to properly time the rotation of the upper plate with relation to the other operative portions of the machine.

The opposing surfaces of the pill-forming plates-that is to say, the upper surface of the bottom plate and the under surface of the top plate-have formed therein a series of annular concentric grooves semicircular in crosssaid grooves beginning at the peripheries oi the plates and cxtendingin concentric circles toward the center thcrcoi, the inner and out-er I is in its .knives are forcibly'moved peripheries of the grooves abutting against one another, the approach toward the center being limited shaft of the upper plate.

In order to permit the izitroduction of the mass between the forming-plates, a slot, I, is formed in the lower or stationar plate, extending radially therein from the periphery thereof a distance substantially corresponding to thenumberof groovcsin said plate. Working vertically through this slot isa verticallynioving filling-plate, I, snugly fitting into said recess, and caused torise vertically through said slot by means of'a dog, J, pivoted to the under side of the table E, which said dog is swung upon. its pivot by a cam, J, rigidly mounted on acrossshaft, J, extending transversely across the machine and loosely journaled in the side frame, A, to which power is appliedvby asuitable train of gearing connecting said shaft'with the master cog-wheel, and

so timed as to operate intermittently and at.

the proper time with relation tothe rotation of the upper forming-plate, upon which the successful operation of the machine in a great measure depends. The said filling-plate I works through a suitable guide, K, which also prevents the said plate from falling out of position.

As will be seen from Fig;

lowest position 3, when the plate andnearly at the ane withthe bottom of the groove E, formed in the table E, and it is while in this position that the feed-wheels operate to deliver plates, the slot I of of which registers with the said groove E into which the mass is forced, and after being fed therein the tween the end forming-plate.

The mechanism employed for severing the mass will be better understood by reference to Fig. 5, in which is shown a pair of cuttingknives, L L, opposing each other on each side of the groove E and pivoted a of length thereof to the end of the table which knives are I -cto and at their opposite ends to the said table. To overcome the tension of these springs and cause the said knives to approach each other and sever the mass, I employ the cams L, mounted upon the shaft J at each side of the cam J, by means of which the lower free ends of the cuttingaway from each other, producing a consequent approach to ward each other of the opposite cutting ends of said k nivcs just at the moment the feed stops and just prior to the elevation of the severed mass into the path of the formingplate.

After the mass has been severed the plate I rises, carrying with it the severed portion ofjustsuiiicicnt length to extend transversely only by the diameter of the actuating IO, distance, the latter acrosstall oftt he grooves or molds of the formthe movement of the upper forming-p late,the

a'ction-of which serves to roll the mass ofl 1 ing between the slots l and it has no function the plated and in between the forming-plates, the grooves of which it fills.

The upper and lower'forming-plates have their working-surfaces, walls of the grooves, beveled off a suitable beyond the slot in the direction of rotation andthe former one back of a corrrespon-ding slot therein, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 11, so that when these two parts come together in starting the mass in between the'forrning plates the said mass may be tion with this beveled .and almostpl'ain sur- 5 plate, just beyond the slot gagethe stick of mass, 40 relation to the grooves at some point between 5 forming-plates,

o plates by (\O From the slot I in "erscly 0 mass is separated into pills,

face, I employ a detent, M,whieh is vital to the entire operation of the machine,for by it the inner end of the piece of mass is detained, while the outer end travels forward on the are of a circle,so that the entire piece between the forming plates is presented to the grooves extending in a radial line from the center, and

consequently at right angles thereto, in which position the mass must be held until the which, being in the grooves, must necessarily follow the arc of their circle. This detent may be. simply a piece of wire or small screw working through a screw-threaded hole in the lower forming I therein, in the direction of rotation of the upper plate,thc upper pointed end of which projects just sufficiently above the surface of said plate to enand of course with the inner and middle grooves. To insurethe total separation of the mass into pills, 1 form a line of transverse notches, .N,extending radially across the grooves in the whereby the thin shred connecting the pills will bcbrokenatthesc points. Theexcess of material over and'above what is enough to fill all the molds'is removed from the outside or peripheries of the formingmeans of a stationary knife, 0, secured to the lower forming-plate just beyond the slot therein, the cutoff mass falling into a pocket, 1?, also secured to the lower formingplate frotn whence it is conducted by means ofa 'pipe or trough into a suitable receptacle. The innermost groove is pose, having a slot, Q, formed therein, extending through thelower plate and connecting with the same receptacle as the pocket 1. the lower plate the grooves extend continuously almost entirely around said plate; but just before reaching said slot they are abruptly interrupted by another slot or opening, It, extending radially and transacross their path, through which the complctely-formed pills are discharged into a and consequently the I caused to roll along upon the bottom plate and become fully engaged between the.

utilized for this pur-- trough, S, and from thence delivered into a 1ng-plat S,, and consequently transversely to suitable receptacle provided l'orthat purpose.

That portion of thelower plate, '1, extendwhatever, so far as its grooved surface is concerned, and niightjust as. well be plain, for the slot It is of sullicient width to effectually prevent inertia from carrying thcpills across said slot. The upper rotating forming-plate, G, hasalso a'slottherein coriwsponling to the slot R, anda portion of this plate lF. extending back of said slot,is s parated from the main body of the plate so far as a rigid connection is concerned, but connected by a hinge, V, so that this portion of, the thrown upon the said hinge and the lower plate exposed for Cleaning or other purposes. It is held in its normal position by abutton, W, secured to'the main body of the plate.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. In apill-machine, the combination, with the forming-plates, of means for automatically and intermittently feeding the mass to said plates, severing said mass into suitable lengths, and introducing said mass between the forming-plates during-a continuous rotation of one of saidplates, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. in a pill-machine, a lower stationary f .n-i1iiiig-plate and an upper rotating formingplatc, said plates having annular concentric registering grooves in their-opposing faces,in combination with means for automatically and intermittently feeding the mass to said plates, severing said mass into suitable lengths, and introducing said mass between the formingplates during a continuous rotation of said upper plate, substantially as described.

- 3. in a pill-machine, a revolving shaft, in combination with forming-plates one of which is mounted on saidshaft, said plates having concentric registering grooves in their opposing faces, and one or both of said plates being provided with a'reccss or opening, whereby.

mass may be introduced between said plates during a continuousrotation of. one of them, substantially as described.

4. In a; 'iill machine, a revolving shaft, in combination with forming-plates one of which is mounted on said shaft, said plates having annular concentric registering groovcs in their opposing faces, and one or both of said plates being provided with a radial recess or openthereof, and thereby interrupting the continuity of said grooves, whereby mass may be introduced between said plates during a continuous rotation of one of them while in contact with the other, substantially as described. 5. The lower fixed forining-platr the upper rotating forming-plate, the said plates having concentric grooves in and the said lower pl: to being provided with a radial slot extending inwardly from the peplate may be their opposing faces,-

ing' extending inwardly from the periphery riphery, in combination with a vertically-adjustablefilling-plate working through said slot,

substantially as described.

6. The lower fixed forming-plate, the upper thesaidplates having a radial slot extending inwardly from the periphery, in combination with a vertically-ad LO justable filling plate working through said slot at, pivoted dog engaging said fillingplate, and a cam for actuating said dog, substantially as described.

7. The lower fixed forming-plate and the upper rotating forming-plate having concentrie registering groovesin their the said lower plate being provided with a radial slot extending inwardly from the periph- 2o able filling-plate, and means for automatically and intermittently actuating said plate, substantially as described. 8. The lower fixed concentric grooves in and a radial slot extending inwardly from the periphery thereof, said plate being also provided with a discharge-opening beyond said slot and extending radially and transversely across said grooves, in combination 0 with a vertically-adjustable filling-plate working through said slot, and the upper rotary forming-plate having grooves corresponding with those of the lower forming-plate, substantially as described. v

9. The lower fixed forming-plae and the upper rotating forming-plate, said plates being provided with a series of concentric grooves in the opposing faces thereof, registering with each other, in combination with a pin or pro- 0 jection on the upper face of the lower plate beyond the receiving point and between the inner and middle grooves, substantially as described.

forming plate having 10. The lower fixed forming-plate having- 5 concentric grooves in the upper face thereof and provided with a radial slot extending inwardly frorflthe periphery, the said upper face thereof being beveled toward said slot on one side thereof, in combination with a vertically-adjustable filling-plate working through said slot, a pin or projection on .d lower plate, near said slot, between the inner and middle grooves, and the upper rotating forming-plate having grooves corresponding to.thc

the upper face thereof l grooves in said lower plate, substantially as described. I

11. The lower forming-plate having concentrio grooves in the upper face thereof and provided with a radial slot extending inwardly from the periphery thereof, said upper face being beveled upwardly and forwardly from said slot, in combination with a verticallymoving filling-plate working through said slot, and the upper rotating forming-plate having grooves in the under face thereofopposing the grooves in said lower plate, and provided with a radial slot extending inwardly from its periphery, said under face being beveled rearwardly from said slot, substantiallyas and for the purpose described.

12. The lower fixed forming-plate and the upper rotary forming-plate, ing concentric grooves in the opposing faces thereof, and the lower plate being provided with a radial slot extending inwardly from the periphery, in combination with the verticallyadjustable filling-plate working through said slot, and an interniittently-operating feed device for filling said slot when the filling plate is at its lowest adjustmengsubstantially as described.

13. The lower fixed forming-plate and the upper rotary forming-plate, said plates having concentric grooves in the opposing faces thereof, and the lower plate being provided with a radial slot extending inwardly from the periphery, in combination with the verticallyadjustable filling-plate working through said slot, a pair of feed-wheels in alignment with said slot, and a grooved gnideway leading from said wheels to the slot, substantially as dc scribed.

14'. The upper and lower forming-plates, the feed-wheels, and a guideway leading from said wheels to the plates, in combination with a cutter intermediate said guideway and the plates, substantially as described.

15. The forming-plates, the feed-wheels, and a guideway leading from said wheels to the plates, in combination with the pivoted opposing cutting-knivcs intermediate said guideway and plates, and cams for automatically operating said cutting-knives, substantially as described.

MELITE E. CHARTIER. 'itnesses:

W1 LL R. OMOIIUNDRO, W..W. ELLIOTT. 

